The Starling Gets Out
by Nandiferd
Summary: Having earned her wings in Africa, Mi-Nyeo flies home to be with Tae-Kyung.  Her homecoming is a disaster.  Set 3 years after the drama.  OOCness.  MNY/TK.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own You're Beautiful, or its characters.**

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><p>The moment she exited the plane, everyone knew that she was someone special.<p>

_Smack._

"Ow," squealed Go Mi-Nyeo. She peeled her face from the floor of the jet bridge and inspected her scraped wrists. Behind her, she could hear a harabuhjee grumbling that she was blocking the exit.

"Are you okay?" asked the air hostess as Mi-Nyeo struggled to her feet. Her knees were sore from taking most of the impact.

An ajusshi and a backpacker took pity on her and put down their luggage to help her. She pulled her long hair out of her eyes and smiled at them. "Thank you," she said, feeling her cheeks grow warm from embarrassment.

To her surprise, the men gaped at her. Confused, she ran her fingers over her face, checking for blood. Her hands came back dry.

"Here, let me carry your luggage for you!" The younger man smiled at her as he picked up her things along with his bag.

She jumped when she felt her other arm being tucked into the ajusshi's. She looked from her arm to the smiling older man's face. "Allow me to help you to your family," he said.

"But first, she should go and see the airport's medic," intercepted the younger man, looking at her knees.

Mi-Nyeo tried to pull her dress down. "That's really not necessary," she said, looking from one man to the other in confusion as they marched her to the arrivals area. "I'm fine, really." They weren't listening. "I'm-FINE!" she yanked her hand free from the ajusshi.

The men were about to protest again, so she smiled to reassure them.

They froze in place and gaped at her.

She lifted one eyebrow in puzzlement as she took her luggage from the younger man. "Thank you," she bowed again. "Sorry for the trouble."

Glad to escape, she hurried onwards and scanned the arrivals area for a certain Hwang Tae-Kyung. She sighed in disappointment to see it deserted. Pausing at a row of chairs, she dug in her pockets for her phone and seeing the time, she realized that her flight had landed much earlier than expected.

She knew she couldn't expect him here yet.

Unable to shake the feeling that she was being watched, Mi-Nyeo fidgeted with the buttons of her white coat and took in her surroundings. It was unsettling to realize that there were many, many people that were looking at her. Some were smiling at her, and Mi-Nyeo ran her hands over her face again to check for blood.

Nothing.

She worried over this for a few seconds before letting it go. She must be imagining things. She put it down to the long flight and her nervousness at seeing Tae-Kyung again. On the plane she had not been able to sit still for thinking about him. The hostess had to tell her numerous times to go back to her seat when the plane hit turbulence.

Mi-Nyeo stopped and looked around her. Something wasn't right.

It occurred to her that the people were parting for her like the Red Sea. As if to confirm her suspicions, a large family smiled and bowed to her as they split up to let her through. She bowed in return, and hoped she didn't look too scared as she scurried towards the exit, heaving a loud sigh of relief when the sliding doors closed behind her.

"Am I going crazy?" she mumbled, tilting her head to one side to observe the sun. She wondered if people saw the similarities between her and her brother. It was possible that Go Mi Nam had become more famous during her absence in Africa.

Satisfied with this temporary answer, Mi-Nyeo blew out her puffed cheeks and walked over to the private pick-up zone, her suitcase rumbled behind her like an old friend. She sent Tae-Kyung a text and settled down to wait for him, closing her eyes to enjoy the warmth from the sun.

A breeze blew through her hair, forcing her to brush a few loose strands aside. She heard something fall to the ground with a 'click' and her eyes darted around to find the source. She saw something glittering in the gutter and thought that it looked familiar.

Go Mi-Nyeo gasped. Her eyes widened and her hand went to her hair. It was her pin!

She skated on her high-heels to the empty road and bent down to pick it up. "Tsk." The clasp was broken and would have to be reglued. She checked that front of the pin was undamaged and noticed that one of the jewels were missing. Mi-Nyeo started running her hands over the ground, trying to find the missing piece.

A woman screamed.

Go Mi-Nyeo looked up to see a car headed straight for her.

Tires screeched as the owner put the brakes on, but it was going too fast, and she was too close. She tried to get up, but there was no time, and she knew it was too late. Mi-Nyeo scrunched her eyes closed and waited for the inevitable impact. She clutched her hands together and imagined Mother Superior telling her to be brave as the car's engine roared in her ears.

She swore she could see a white light.

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><p>The smell of burnt rubber made her open her eyes.<p>

"Hey!" A car door slammed. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Mi-Nyeo stared at the clean silver grating on the front of the car.

It was an inch from her nose.

"Eep," was all she could say. Her fists were still clamped together, but they were shaking. She could feel the car's heat radiating onto her face like a lion's breath.

"Yah! Princess! Are you okay?" Two hands gripped her shoulders and swung her upper body around to the right. She stared up at the rude stranger through a haze of mental fog.

He was no stranger at all.

"Hyung-nim," she said, too shocked to say anything else. Her near-death experience made her feel like she was no longer of this earth. She took in the floppy hair, the mad-scientist eyebrows, the hollow cheeks and began to feel giddy.

She felt his hands squeeze her arms tighter as he dropped to the ground beside her. His face was contorted by a mix of the sudden recognition of the person in front of him, followed by a heavy dose of pain and guilt.

"Mi-N..." He barely got the words out. His eyes clouded over. "Are you okay?" He started checking her for injuries; running his hands over her limbs.

"I can't feel you," she slurred.

He ran his fingers around the back of her scalp, feeling for bumps. She gazed up at him, still feeling like she was in some sort of dream and smiled. She had missed him so much.

He did not smile back.

Without a word he lifted her up from the ground. With the help of several bystanders, he got Mi-Nyeo into the car along with her luggage.

"My pin!" she shouted as Tae-Kyung climbed into the driver's seat.

Tae-Kyung paused. Eyeing something shiny in her still-clasped hands, he reached over to ease them apart. Under his coaxing, the bits of broken pin fell from her sore fingers and into the palm of his hand. He tucked them into the pocket of his black jacket and patted it. "I've got it," he said in an even tone. "Now sit quietly until I can get you to a hospital."

She obeyed him, but she tilted her head so that she could see him. Though they'd travelled back and forth to see each other every few months, Mi-Nyeo felt like they'd been apart from each other for the entire three years, and seeing him again made her wonder how she'd been able to do it.

Mi-Nyeo looked over at his hand and longed to reach out and touch it.

"I'm okay Hyung-nim. Really. We don't need to go to the hospital," she said, watching his fingers tightening around the steering wheel.

"You said you couldn't feel anything," he said. His eyes were trained on the road.

She nodded. "I think I'm just in shock. I'll be all right after some sleep."

"You'll go to the hospital for me." There was little emotion in his voice.

She didn't argue with him. Pushing him would just make him lose his temper. She stared at his tired face, noting how much older he looked, and not for the first time she regretted leaving his side to go to Africa.

"I missed you Hyung-nim," she murmured, stretching her hand out to touch his shoulder, but not quite getting there.

"Aish!" He glared at her and ran one hand through his hair. It flopped back into his eyes as if he'd never touched it. "Were you trying to give me a heart attack back there?"

Mi-Nyeo's lips twitched. It looked like he wasn't as angry as she thought. She covered up her smile with a yawn and gazed out of the window.

"Why were you sitting on the road like that? Didn't you know that people wouldn't see you? How did you get there anyway?"

Go Mi-Nyeo opened her mouth to speak.

"Never mind!" he interrupted. "I forgot how dangerous you are. When we get to the hospital remind me to ask them to get your head scanned."

"Hyung-nim!" She protested, gazing at him with wide eyes.

"Hyung-nim-hyung-nim-hyung-nim," she heard him mutter under his breath. He turned to burn a hole through her with his brown eyes. "You scared me to death!" he yelled, before jerking the car into the hospital driveway. It flew up the slope like a demon and screeched to a halt outside of the emergency entrance. Mi-Nyeo found herself being dragged out of her seat before she could pop the belt.

"I can walk!" she swatted his hands away, realizing that he was intending to carry her inside. Tae-Kyung hesitated, and then gritted his teeth as he stood back to let her climb out on her own.

Free from the car, she smoothed down her dress and smiled at him. "See? I'm fine."

"Yes, amazing." His eyes glittered dangerously. "Still, as much as I trust your opinion regarding 'fineness', I'm going to have to check with a doctor before I'm satisfied. Am I making myself clear?"

Mi-Nyeo knew by the look on his face that she wasn't going to win this battle. She nodded in resignation and led the way into the hospital, urged on by the squeaking sound his boots made as he stalked her from behind. After registering her details with the nurse, Mi-Nyeo was led to an empty bed and was asked to wait. Tae-Kyung jumped into the space just as the curtains were pulled around to create a room.

"Drink!" He held a paper cup of water under her nose. Feeling her how dry her throat was, Mi-Nyeo accepted it without a word. She sat on the edge of the bed, and started swinging her legs back and forth as she took in her spotless surroundings. The humming of the busy hospital was soothing to her ears, and it began to clear the cobwebs in her head.

Feeling relaxed, she sought Tae-Kyung and found him regarding her from a plastic chair at the head of the bed. He had his jaw resting on one fist and he was giving her the darkest glare she had ever seen.

Mi-Nyeo felt the sudden urge to provoke him. "Hyung-nim?" she asked with a delicate tone, drawing circles on the pillow with her index finger.

Tae-Kyung's eyes narrowed. She could almost imagine a storm cloud forming over his head. "What have you done now?"

She widened her eyes and tried to look as innocent as she could. "Nothing, Hyung-nim! Only I was just wondering..."

His lips curled. "Yes?"

"At the airport, why did you call me a princess?"

He smirked and his lips formed a familiar pout. His arched black eye brows went higher as he leaned forward in his chair in an attempt to intimidate her. "Are you fishing for compliments?"

Considering how rare a direct compliment was coming from him, Mi-Nyeo thought he was being a little unfair, but she kept her coy smile and waited for him to continue.

"It was an insult, Miss Go Mi-Nyeo, not a compliment," he folded his arms and tilted his chin upwards. "Expecting cars to move out of your way while you played on the road was very arrogant of you."

Her face fell. In the past, she would have tried to look chastened at his words, but she was bolder now. Years spent teaching and working in Africa had not been wasted. She shook her head in defiance. "I wasn't going to leave my pin." She held out her hands for it. "Can I have it now?"

"It's broken," he said in a firm tone, as if that settled the matter.

Mi-Nyeo ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. "My hair is long enough to wear it and now it's broken." An idea occurred to her and she smiled. "Does my hair look pretty, Tae-Kyung?"

A dimple appeared on his jaw. "It's all right." He turned his gaze to the curtains and Mi-Nyeo leaned forward to get his attention.

"And my coat?" She ran her fingers down the buttons to show it off to him. "Jeremy sent me this coat. Isn't it nice?"

He snorted.

"These shoes," she lifted one foot up and admired the white pointed heel. "Shin-Woo Hyung sent me these shoes. I think they're pretty."

His eyes ran over her exposed leg for a full three seconds before he jumped up, causing the chair to shudder on the floor. "Where are all the staff?" He turned his back to her and peered through a chink in the curtains. "They're taking too long."

"Coordinator Wang sent me some makeup. I tried my best with it. What do you think, _Op-pa_?"

His back stiffened.

"I think," he turned around to face her with an icy glare. "You have become very conceited, Pig-Rabbit. Can I ask who has been sending you lessons on how to _flirt_?"

"Oh, I have been practicing very hard to flirt well," she said in earnest. Tae-Kyung's eyes grew wide as she continued. "Yoo He Yi said I had to compete with lots of other women in order to keep you, so I've come home ready for battle. Fighting!" She held up her fists.

Tae-Kyung started choking. He looked away from her and waved a hand in the air as he tried to regain the full use of his windpipe. When he looked back at her his eyes were watering. "You!" He cleared his throat. "Why?" He leaned on the bed. "Why, of all people, are you listening to Yoo He Yi? Are you crazy?"

He was getting louder, and Mi-Nyeo cringed. "Stop yelling at me!"

"Did I give you permission to speak to _her_? Just because she's Mi Nam's girlfriend does not mean it is okay for you to listen to her!"

"It is true that I must be careful around Unni, but she told me lots of things that they did not teach at the convent, and thanks to her I know that I am going to be such a good girlfriend to you, Hyung-nim."

As she had been talking, Tae-Kyung's thick-black eyebrows had been rising higher and higher on his forehead. His mouth opened and closed like a fish before settling on the word, "You!" He lunged at her.

The swish of the curtains made him stop mid-attack and slink backwards into the shadows. Mi-Nyeo let out a little sigh of relief. She was saved! A male doctor and an attending nurse walked in. It was all smiles as they greeted one another.

"We can hear you two from across the room" said the doctor with a grin. "Lover's fight?" Tae-Kyung glared at him and the doctor cleared his throat. "So, let's take a look at you." He wrapped a blood-pressure cuff around Mi-Nyeo's arm and started inflating it. "You got hit by a car, is that right?"

Mi-Nyeo shook her head.

"It was a miracle she didn't get hit," muttered Tae-Kyung, glaring at her from over the doctor's shoulder as the professional shone a torch light in her eyes.

"I'm glad." The doctor looked between her and Tae-Kyung. "You two look familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?"

The couple shared a glance, but didn't say anything.

"Any pain?" asked the doctor. Mi-Nyeo shook her head again. "You seem fine," he wrote down some numbers and then peered at the nurse. "Get her some sedatives to take home." He smiled at his patient and took the cuff off her arm. "You might find it hard to sleep, so take the medicine if you need it, but you should be okay if you look after your body."

Mi-Nyeo was grateful to the doctor. She knew that despite Tae-Kyung's angry words, he had been worried about her, and she hoped that he would now feel better about the accident. She opened her mouth to thank the doctor, when she realized he was gaping at her.

It was like being at the airport all over again.

She gave Tae-Kyung a questioning look and he walked over to see the doctor's face for himself. With a grunt, Tae-Kyung rolled his eyes and punched his hands into his coat pockets. "You must be very busy, _Sonsaengnim_! Don't let us take any more of your valuable time." There was a hint of rudeness in his tone as he tried to usher the doctor out.

The elder seemed to give himself a mental shake and mumbled something under his breath before leaving the room. He threw Mi-Nyeo a final smile before pulling the curtains shut.

Tae-Kyung let out a long sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's worse than I thought."

Mi-Nyeo ran a hand over her face. "What is, Hyung-nim?" She began to feel scared. "I don't understand. People have been looking at me like that all day."

Tae-Kyung looked suddenly guilty. "Mi-Nyeo. I'm..." He struggled to get out the rest of the sentence, but instead settled for staring at the floor. "We all did our best to keep you out of the spotlight, but we haven't always been successful."

"Oh, you mean the reporters." She let the news sink in, and then asked in a small voice, "Have I been bad press for the band?"

"Tch!" He turned his attention to the curtains. "As if that matters." The look on his face was not reassuring to Mi-Nyeo.

"But it does matter," she said, fiddling with the paint on her nails. "If I'm bad press for the band, then we can't go public, and we need to talk-"

"I told you it's not important!" he barked out, glaring at the white floor. "I'll manage it."

She felt her bottom lip tremble. "You've already decided what you're going to do, haven't you?" She saw his hands clench into fists, but she stood firm. "Without asking me first?"

He scowled. "I don't want you worrying about the press."

She felt herself getting upset. "Stop trying to handle everything on your own!"

"I'm responsible for you!" he dug his thumb into his chest. "That's how this works!"

"No!" She folded her arms like a child, and then unfolded them again to whisk away a small tear. "Give me back my pin."

Tae-Kyung paled.

She could tell he wanted to say something, but he couldn't put it into words.

He turned away from her, and reached into his pocket to pull it out. The ornament glittered under the bright hospital lights, and Mi-Nyeo could see the small patch of glue where the missing jewel should be.

"Damn, it keeps breaking," he said, cradling the pieces in his hand. The edge was gone from his voice.

Mi-Nyeo nodded. "It's very fragile," she whispered.

"So no matter how hard I try to protect it, it could break again?"

Mi-Nyeo blinked. "You don't need to protect it. How can you, Hyung-nim, when it is mine?"

He formed a tight fist around the pin, hiding it from view. "I can try. I can lock it away."

"No!" She almost jumped from the bed to pry it from him.

He eased his grip on the piece of metal and plastic. "Don't you trust me with it?"

"Of course I do!" She had felt safe when he had kept it in his coat pocket for her. "But you must be reasonable. It's mine. I want to be able to wear it and look at it whenever I want to. I have kept it safe all these years, and carried it to many places. Why take it from me now?"

He looked up at her, and to her amazement, his eyes were full of fear.

"Hyung-nim." Mi-Nyeo felt her heart plummet into her stomach, and she scrambled off the bed to reach him. She wrapped her small arms around his waist and pressed her face against his chest. His wool vest made her nose itch, but she happily inhaled the familiar smell of soap and aftershave that came with it.

She felt his hands slide around to her back, and she nestled closer to him. "Don't be scared," she said.

Seconds passed in silence.

Mi-Nyeo bit her lip. "I-I don't know what to say to comfort you, but please don't be scared. From now on, we will decide everything together. Okay?"

"Don't be stupid. What would I be scared of?" His voice was dry and cynical, but after years of loving him she knew better than to take it at face value.

Mi-Nyeo tightened her hold on him. She felt him press a kiss into her hair.

"It will be hard, but I will let you have it..your pin."

He shifted away from her, dark gaze intact, and keeping one arm around her shoulder, he slipped all the pieces of the ornament into her waiting fingers.

"I will make sure to use stronger glue next time," she said in an effort to reassure him.

Tae-Kyung's face seemed to lighten at her words. "That's a start. You will also make sure to never sit on the road again. That was stupid!"

Mi-Nyeo made a reluctant noise in the affirmative. "And you will drive more carefully, right Hyung-nim?"

At first he was flustered by her words, but then he seemed to calm down. "Fine! And I will tell you everything about the press so that we can decide what to do. If I have to, I will teach you how to handle the public so that you look good."

Mi-Nyeo held back a laugh. "Don't I already look good?"

Tae-Kyung shook his head at her in mock disapproval. "Is this more of Yoo He Hi's work?'

Eyelashes fluttered on soft cheeks. "No, Hyung-nim, but I think I look nice."

She heard him whisper something through his teeth. It sounded something like 'devil fairy', but she wasn't sure.

"This!" he tilted her chin upwards and traced her lips with his thumb. "What is this?" He showed her the tint of her lipstick. His almond eyes were emoting something that she couldn't quite understand.

Sensing danger, Mi-Nyeo inched away from him.

"I-It's a nice colour," she faltered.

Tae-Kyung mirrored her steps, drawing closer. "I don't like it."

Mi-Nyeo felt her back touching the bed. "It's not like I'm asking you to wear it," she muttered in a low voice.

"What was that?" His voice was too casual.

She gasped as he leaned over her, she could feel his breath on her cheek. Somewhere, an alarm bell was ringing. It was hard to tell if it was going off inside the hospital, or in her head.

"I like-," she hiccoughed, "-it." She tilted her head away from him.

To her dismay, he slid his long arms under her coat, making the silk-lining rustle. His hands moved around her waist and found their resting place on the bed, trapping her in a hard, yet pliant cage.

Mi-Nyeo closed her eyes and swallowed. She could feel his whole body pressing against her. His warm breath had moved to the corner of her mouth.

"It...annoys me," his words tickled her lips.

Whatever reply Mi-Nyeo had saved up for this moment was forgotten. Once she felt his cool mouth on hers and then tasted the hot sweetness inside, he was all she could think about. His hands ran up and down the back of her dress and Mi-Nyeo wriggled closer, wanting more. She tugged at his hips, and he got rougher, kissing her with more force and bumping her back against the bed.

Someone was coughing.

He tried to pull away from her, and Mi-Nyeo let out a soulful little whimper. She wasn't finished yet. Tae-Kyung was wearing a self-satisfied smirk as he detached himself from her, but his cool image cracked when he nearly stumbled backwards into the chair. A dazed Mi-Nyeo looked over to see the nurse holding out a small box of medicine, her red face was trained on the floor, and she was doing her professional-best to pretend that she hadn't seen anything.

Clothes rustled as the couple straightened up and prepared to leave. Tae-Kyung pocketed the medicine while Mi-Nyeo apologized and bowed more than once. Making sure not to stand too close to one another, they sauntered to the front reception with guilty faces. Mi-Nyeo tried not to explode with juvenile laughter.

"Who said you could pay the bill?" Tae-Kyung grouched as the woman at reception disappeared to print out the receipt.

"I did." She puffed out her cheeks.

"I thought we were deciding everything together from now on?"

"You want to pay my bill?" she tilted her head to the side.

"Tch!" he nudged her with his elbow, making her want to stick out her tongue. "I'll see you outside."

The slip of paper was presented, and Mi-Nyeo scanned the immediate area to make sure no one was watching.

The coast was clear.

"Kyyyyyyya!" Mi-Nyeo started dancing like a crazy person on the spot, arms flailing around in the air and feet kicking outwards.

"He still gives me fireworks!" she laughed as she skipped out into the sunlight, her coat-tails flapping behind her like wings.

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><p>Please review! Thanks for reading.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: This chapter was written for **Coleen** and **LisaIsabel92**. Thank you! You both made my day. I hope this chapter meets your expectations.

**Flinn**: Thank you for reviewing. I double checked my characters with their development in the last episode (16) and I'm still satisfied with them.

Disclaimer: I don't own You're Beautiful, or its characters.

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><p>Quote: <em>'The bird flew to the place where I was attempting his deliverance, and thrusting his head through the trellis, press'd his breast against it, as if impatient.—I fear, poor creature! said I, I cannot set thee at liberty.—"No," said the starling—"I can't get out—I can't get out," said the starling.'<em>

Laurence Sterne. 1917. A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy.

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><p>It was her itching eyes that woke her.<p>

Nose twitching, Mi-Nyeo knuckled her watery lids until they grew hot from the friction.

Once satisfied, she opened her sticky eyelashes to get her bearings. She had no idea where she was. Light filtered in through the sheet that was draped over her face like a mosquito net. Shapes began to take form, and she could see...

...a human head.

The sheet was ripped away from her, and Mi-Nyeo looked up into the angry eyes of Yoo He Yi.

Mi-Nyeo closed her eyes again, thinking that she needed to refocus.

"Who are you?" asked He Yi's cold voice.

Her eyelashes unglued. "I'm-" She was interrupted by the sound of a phone camera clicking.

"Get out."

"What?" She blinked.

"You can make this easy for yourself, or hard." He Yi's eyes narrowed as she showed Mi-Nyeo the digital picture she had taken. "Now get out before I make your public life a misery."

Mi-Nyeo sat up and looked around her. "But mmmph!" A pillow hit her face. "Okay!" She clawed her way off the bed and belly-crawled to the door. Another pillow hit her rear before she managed to escape to the cold hall outside. The door clicked shut, and she leaned against it, exhausted and confused.

"Mi Nam?" It was Jeremy, who was watching her curiously from the stairs. "Mi Nam!" His feet thudded against the floor as he rushed over to greet her.

At the last moment he hesitated.

"Wait!" He looked left and then right. "Better not hug you, Mi Nam. Hyung has eyes on the back of his head."

"Eh? No, Jeremy! I'm Mi-Nyeo. Mi-Nyeo!" She drew his attention to the dress she was still wearing from yesterday's flight.

"I know that!" Jeremy shifted himself so that he was leaning against the door next to her. "But you'll always be Mi Nam to me! Not that hairless monkey's butt who replaced you when you left." He nodded at the room she had just exited.

Mi-Nyeo frowned, trying to clear the fuzz in her head. "Wait. I was in Oppa's room?" She couldn't remember much of last night after she had gotten back into Tae-Kyung's car at the hospital. The drive to the ANJell Mansion had involved some heavy combat over her drooping eyelids.

"You were wiped, Mi Nam! Tae-Kyung Hyung had to carry you inside from the car. You wouldn't budge on your own. Here!" He dropped a ripe pear into her hands. "A 'welcome back' gift. You must be hungry." He dug into the crook of his elbow and produced a similar piece of fruit for himself. Together, they munched at the juicy flesh and grinned.

In the room behind them, Yoo He Yi's voice had just gone up an octave, carrying through the walls.

"What is going on?" called a familiar soft tone. Shin-Woo's bedroom door creaked open and the gentle guitarist stepped out; his hair was wet and he had a towel draped over his shoulders. He observed Mi-Nyeo and Jeremy breakfasting on the floor and smiled. "Mi-Nyeo. You're awake!"

Swallowing a mouthful of juice and fibre first, Mi-Nyeo grinned. "Shin-Woo Hyung! I missed you!"

"Not as much as I missed you." The older boy moved across the hall and sat down next to Mi-Nyeo. "Who's yelling at Mi Nam? I can hear a woman's voice."

"Who do you think?" muttered Jeremy.

"Huh? Unni is yelling at Oppa?" Mi-Nyeo puffed up her cheeks, trying to figure out what was going on. Her head still felt like a ball of wool. "I must have done something wrong, but I can't remember what I did."

"Ah." Jeremy put a comforting arm around her shoulders, his chin covered in juice. "They fight a lot, those two."

"Did Mi Nam say anything to you?" asked Shin-Woo.

Mi-Nyeo shook her head. "I didn't see him. Unni just found me and told me to 'get out'."

"I see." Shin-Woo ran his eyes over her face with a knowing smile. "Perhaps she didn't recognise you."

This didn't make much sense to Mi-Nyeo. "Eh?"

_Bang_. A door further down the hall slammed open.

"Who let _her _inside the house this early?" snapped Tae-Kyung, still in his pyjamas. He paused when he saw the trio sitting on the floor.

"What is this?" He folded his arms, looking like a prosecutor.

"Pears," said Jeremy, in between bites.

"I-I think I got Oppa in trouble with Unni," winced Mi-Nyeo, indicating the door behind her.

"Keeping on top of the news as it happens," grinned Shin-Woo.

Tae-Kyung scuffled over in his slippers and leaned over his girlfriend. "Mi-Nyeo," he began. Despite his intimidating stance, an upwards curl was beginning to form on the corners of his mouth. "Have you looked at your face yet this morning?"

Mi-Nyeo shook her head. "I didn't have time."

Shin-Woo smiled. "Leave her alone. She looks cute like that."

"Then your taste runs along the lines of the mountain otter." He reached down to pull Mi-Nyeo up. "Come on!"

"A mountain otter?" she muttered, her nose scrunching up at the insult.

Mi-Nyeo followed him down the stairs and into the familiar communal kitchen. Apart from Jeremy's usual smattering of dirty dishes, the place was clean and well looked after. Tae-Kyung kicked out one of the kitchen stools for her to sit on before grabbing a dish towel and wetting it. Mi-Nyeo sat down on the chair and waited.

"This face would have scared anyone." Tae-Kyung settled himself on a stool opposite and began to wipe under her eyes. "Pig-Rabbit, this is why you shouldn't wear make-up."

Mi-Nyeo was baffled, until he showed her the mascara smudges on the towel. "Oh. I was wondering why my eyes were so itchy."

He smirked. "You did a good job rubbing it in. I might have to use something stronger than water."

"Ow." She flinched as he rubbed hard at her cheeks.

"Sit still!"

He continued scrubbing and wiping at her face as Jeremy and Shin-Woo made their way down.

"They're still fighting," said Jeremy. "What on earth _did_ you do, Mi Nam?"

"I-." Mi-Nyeo felt guilty. "Nothing!"

Shin-Woo took in her face and shook his head at Tae-Kyung. "It won't work. You're going to have to use some type of warm water and citrus mix to get it off properly."

"Yeah." Jeremy pushed Tae-Kyung's hand out of the way to gape at Mi-Nyeo's irritated skin. "That's not coming off in a hurry, Hyung. Forget the warm water though, just use freshly squeezed lemon juice."

"Lemons." Tae-Kyung grimaced.

"Wait!" Mi-Nyeo pushed the towel away from her face. "I'm going to decide what to do."

Shin Woo and Jeremy turned to look at her. Tae-Kyung raised an eyebrow. "And?"

She scrambled off the chair. "I'm going to talk to He Yi."

"Bad idea," said Shin Woo.

"Crazy," Jeremy philosophised.

"Fine," said Tae-Kyung, flipping the towel over his shoulder and onto the floor. "Don't come crying to me when she chews you up and spits you out again."

Mi-Nyeo wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on one warm cheek. "Wish me luck, Hyung-nim!"

"Wha-No! That's not-COME BACK HERE!"

But she was already gone.

* * *

><p>Mi-Nyeo hurried up the stairs and stopped outside Mi Nam's door. He Yi's voice was still loud enough to cause tremors.<p>

As she grasped the door handle, Mi-Nyeo remembered all the times she'd found the couple at war when she'd been home for visits. At first she'd sided with her brother, but with each battle, she'd found herself understanding He Yi a little better as well. It was He Yi's unfailing interest in Mi Nam that brought about the regular emails to Africa, and why she had accepted Mi-Nyeo as a regular part of her life.

However, accepting He Yi did not mean that Mi-Nyeo was unaware of how dangerous she was. Not knowing what she'd done to upset the older woman made things more difficult, because she'd want payment, and there was no telling how much.

Mi-Nyeo stared at the handle, debating on how low she needed to grovel to make He Yi happy, when a larger hand reached around her to open the door.

"Wha-"

Tae-Kyung gave her forehead a shove with his index finger. "You'll only hurt yourself. Stay here."

Without stopping for an answer, he pushed his way past her and into the room. Mi-Nyeo waited with baited breath, wondering what would happen next. Past experiences of Tae-Kyung's crushing tactics with He Yi told her to be nervous.

Inside the room, the raised voices continued for several minutes.

And then all went quiet.

Something akin to a pained wail echoed throughout the house. It made Mi-Nyeo shudder.

The door clicked open, and Tae-Kyung walked out with a cruel smile on his face. He placed a hand on Mi-Nyeo's shoulder and exhaled. "All fixed."

"Really?" Mi-Nyeo gazed up at her boyfriend in awe. "Should I go in and apologize then?"

"Er, no." He hedged her towards the stairs. "She had an, ah, unfortunate run-in with Mi Nam's bidet."

"Oooooh." Mi-Nyeo nodded in understanding. She knew from personal experience how unpredictable those things were. "Is she okay?"

"She's cooling off," he sniggered. "Come on! I don't want to see her face again if I can help it."

Mi-Nyeo hesitated and glanced at the door to Tae-Kyung's room. "Would it be okay if I just went to sleep in your room, Hyung-nim?"

His eyes glittered under his floppy fringe. "If you think I'm letting you wipe your dirty face all over my sheets then you can forget it. Kitchen! Now!"

_Bang._ They were interrupted by the sound of Mi Nam's door slamming open. It was accompanied by a gust of wind that blew Mi-Nyeo's hair across her face. He Yi stood on the threshold. Her eyes were pools of coal black liquid underneath the wet strands of dark hair. Water trickled over her designer clothes and gathered on the floor around her red high heels.

"Ya, Tae-Kyung! You wanna die?" Her voice was eerie. The threat sounded real.

"If it's all the same to you, I choose to _live_," he replied.

Mi-Nyeo ducked just as He Yi hurled a can of hair spray at them. It was followed by a comb, and a couple of toothbrushes. Tae-Kyung grabbed her hand, and the pair cluttered down the stairs, one after the other. Looking over her shoulder, Mi-Nyeo could see He Yi not far behind.

"What the hell?" asked Shin-Woo, as the couple burst into the kitchen.

"Run!" said TaeKyung, making his way to the front door. "Bidet water doesn't work."

"Huh?" Jeremy peered out from behind the fridge door just in time to see He Yi appear. "Whoa!"

He Yi made a grab for something on the table and threw it.

Shin Woo ducked behind the bench.

Glass crashed against the floor.

"Aaaaaah!" Jeremy used the fridge as a barrier. "Whatever it was, I didn't do it!"

"We have to hide. She's throwing the glasses!" squealed Mi-Nyeo.

"Stop grabbing my arm!" Tae-Kyung pried the front door open with his manicured nails and pulled her outside into the courtyard.

"What do we do now?" She closed the door behind them and leaned against it. He ran over to pick up the garden hose from the cobbled stones.

"Turn on the water at the wall Mi-Nyeo! The water!"

"A-Are you sure that's a good idea, Hung-nim?"

Shin Woo and Jeremy busted through, throwing her against the outdoor table.

Jeremy's eyes were bugging out of his head. "She's got the juice pitcher."

Gulping, Mi-Nyeo went to turn on the water. It seemed that He Yi's temper had hit a point beyond reckoning.

"Here." Shin Woo grabbed the second garden hose and threw it at Jeremy. "I'll turn on the other tap. When I say 'fire', you shoot. Got it?"

"Do we shoot Mi Nam?" asked Jeremy. "He's still in there."

"No!" said Mi-Nyeo, at the same time Tae-Kyung said, "Yes."

"What's that noise?" asked Shin-Woo.

Four feet padded up the stairs and golden-haired Jolie appeared. Sensing the excitement in the air, Jolie barked and danced around them, her tongue lolling out as she panted.

"No Jolie." Jeremy tried to push her aside with one knee. "Get out of the line of fire!"

At that moment, Yoo He Yi appeared, juice pitcher in hand. She surveyed the small group and spotted Tae-Kyung.

"No!" Mi-Nyeo realized who the pitcher was for. She ran over and jumped in front of him.

He Yi raised the pitcher high above her head and then hesitated.

"Mi Nam?" He Yi asked, curious.

Sensing that something had changed, Mi-Nyeo lowered her hands.

"STOOOP!" came Mi Nam's voice.

Mi-Nyeo's twin brother appeared from inside the house, glass crunching under his slippers, and took in the scene with a mixture of guilt and defiance.

"Don't do it!" he puffed, fringe falling into his eyes.

Jeremy looked trigger happy. "Who are you talking to, idiot?"

Mi Nam caught sight of the juice pitcher in He Yi's hands and looked doubtful. "I...uh...everyone! Put down the household tools!"

This was ignored.

"Mi Nam," repeated He Yi, regarding Mi-Nyeo with interest.

"What?" he answered, eyes still on the juice.

"Not you!" stormed He Yi. "Your sister. What is she..." She looked from Tae-Kyung to Mi Nam, and then lowered the pitcher. "You both weren't lying when you said that she was the one in the bed?"

Tae-Kyung rolled his eyes. "The corrupt are always suspicious."

"And blind," added Shin-Woo.

"Please don't get her angry again," begged Jeremy, his finger still hovering over the trigger of the water nozzle.

He Yi frowned.

"Mi-Nyeo arrived from Africa last night," supplied Shin Woo. "She slept in Mi Nam's room because of...of..."

"-a misplaced idea that his sister needs protection from _me_," finished Tae-Kyung.

"P-Protection." Mi-Nyeo chuckled, suddenly understanding everything, and earning an annoyed look from her brother.

"See?" Mi Nam tried to get his girlfriend's attention. "Nothing to worry about. There was no strange girl in my bed."

"Oh." He Yi stared at the pitcher, and then slowly placed it on the ground.

There was a collective sigh of relief as she straightened up.

"Uggggggh! I'm glad that's over." Jeremy put the nozzle down and pointed to the house. "I need a toilet now! All that tension made my insides twist."

He Yi gave him a disgusted look as he escaped inside. Shin-Woo sauntered over to the juice pitcher, picked it up, and took a sip.

"You!" Mi Nam chose that moment to storm up to Tae-Kyung with fists clenched. "Next time you spray my girlfriend with bidet water, I'm throttling that voice box of yours so you'll never sing again."

Tae-Kyung glanced in He Yi's direction and lifted one eyebrow. "If you'd just put a muzzle on your hellhound, I wouldn't have had to intervene in the first place."

He Yi smiled, and still managed to look composed despite her wet clothes. "I'm glad your girlfriend's back, Tae-Kyung. You were turning into a pathetic shadow of your former self without her around."

Tae-Kyung smirked at her. "Wake me up early again with one of your pathetic domestic spats and I'll have something much worse in store for you. Mi-Nyeo, come inside."

"Eh?" Mi-Nyeo had been struggling to keep up with the sniping. "Yes! Unni, sorry about the trouble."

"Mi-Nyeo, don't apologize," said Shin-Woo. He gave He Yi a solemn look. "I'm going in to clean up. Are you coming?"

"I'll do it!" Mi Nam stepped forward, looking unhappy. On the way in, he stopped at his girlfriend's side. "We'll talk later."

He Yi didn't look his way, or at anyone else's as they filed in.

"Yah!" He Yi latched onto Mi-Nyeo's arm at the last moment. "I'm not finished with you."

"Huh?" Mi-Nyeo found herself being dragged down the paved stairs towards the gate before she could count to three.

"Let's go for a drive."

Feeling sorry for the morning's events, but unwilling to go anywhere except to bed, Mi-Nyeo planted her rear end on one of the steps, stopping He Yi in her tracks. She folded her legs and arms for good measure.

"I'll buy you hot breakfast," the older girl teased.

Mi-Nyeo's stomach growled, but she didn't answer.

He Yi hesitated, and then climbed back up to her. One soggy red heel was placed in front of the other in a perfect line.

"Are you back for good this time?" she asked.

"Mmm." Mi-Nyeo chanced a glance up at her. He Yi's face was neutral.

"And you're staying in there?" She nodded at the house.

"For a little while." Mi-Nyeo hugged her knees to her chest, thinking of the apartment hunting she and Tae-Kyung were planning to do. "Will I see you often, Unni?"

He Yi smiled. "As long as your brother continues to amuse me, yes, you will."

"Amuse?" Mi-Nyeo didn't like the sound of that.

"Yes, amuse. Did you read nothing of the emails I sent you?" He Yi tapped one foot. "I gave you good dating advice. Advice that magazines pay thousands of dollars for when they interview me. Do you listen to any of it? No! Messed up hair, bruises on your knees from being clumsy, wrinkled dress, sheet marks on your skin. Are you really a girl?"

Mi-Nyeo squinted. "Eh?"

"Huuuuh!" He Yi flicked her forehead in frustration. "Even your brain is slow like a boy's."

Irritated, Mi-Nyu mimicked Tae-Kyung's lip twitch. "I-I'm grateful for the advice, but you and Oppa have been seeing each other for almost three years."

"So?"

"Well. He must do more than 'amuse' you. You must like him then."

He Yi rolled her eyes. "I have fun."

"Three years is a long time to play a game," she whispered, wondering how He Yi could see her many fights with Mi Nam as 'fun'.

The older woman wiped a few droplets of water off her face, and then leaned forward to squeeze out the excess water from her hair.

"When he was younger, he lost patience with games he couldn't win," added Mi-Nyeo, thinking back to Mi Nam's terrible teenage years. He'd lost his temper over Go-Stop when playing with the nuns at the convent.

He Yi's brows twisted. "So you're saying he'll get bored with me? Tired of me? So what?"

"No!" Mi-Nyeo rose to her feet. She really wanted to sleep some more. "I'm saying that if you were just a game to him, Oppa would have given up already."

He Yi looked mollified. "Oh."

Mi-Nyeo pointed at the goose-bumps on He Yi's shoulders. "I'll go find you a towel."

"Ya!"

Mi-Nyeo turned. He Yi rummaged through her shoulder bag.

"Here." She slapped a small packet of make-up remover wipes against Mi-Nyeo's stomach. "Use that to clean the eye make-up off your face."

Mi-Nyeo hugged them to her chest. "Thanks, Unni."

"I can't have you disgracing yourself as Mi Nam's sister," He Yi huffed. "Still, it will be useful to have someone on the inside when..." She paused, taking in Mi-Nyeo's wide eyes. "What?"

"Nothing, just-" Mi-Nyeo reached down to hug her. "I missed everyone so much! Even you!"

"Arrgh!" He Yi flung her arms off. "Forget the towel, and save that touchy feely stuff for Tae-Kyung!"

Undeterred, Mi-Nyeo grinned. "Okay. See you around Unni. I'm leaving first."

She waved as she skipped away, earning herself a disgusted harrumph from He Yi.

* * *

><p>In the kitchen, the last of the glass had been removed. Jeremy and Mi Nam were doing a relay race with the mop.<p>

"The idea is that they do it in half the time," informed Shin-Woo as he poured her some of his tea.

"If only they'd do it properly. You missed a spot!" Tae-Kyung pointed at a small dry patch that they'd missed in their zig-zagging. He spun around on his seat and gave Mi-Nyeo the evil eye.

"What advice has she been filling your head up with now?" he asked.

Feigning ignorance, Mi-Nyeo opened the packet of facial wipes. With one hand she began scrubbing at her face. With the other she gulped her tea down. Somewhere in this house, a bed was calling her name, and she wanted to find it soon.

Shin-Woo smiled behind his cup. "He Yi told her about multi-tasking. Can't you tell?"

Mi-Nyeo snarled, lips pulling back to reveal white teeth, making both of the elders jump in their seats. Shin-Woo did a spit-take over the floor, making Jeremy and Mi Nam groan in dismay.

"We already did that spot!" complained Mi Nam.

"Mi-Nyeo. Did you just growl at me?" asked Shin-Woo, wiping at his mouth.

"Mi-Nyeo. What was that noise?" asked Tae-Kyung, flinching when she slapped her hands over her own cheeks.

"The wipes." She shuddered. "They make my face sting!"

She slapped her face some more until the pain faded. It was replaced by a refreshing sensation that she had never experienced before.

"Oooh!" She cupped her face in wonder. "So tingly!"

Shin-Woo's shoulders started shaking up and down.

"A-are you all right? Shin-Woo Hyung?" she asked, uncertain.

Shin-Woo buried his face in his hands.

Tae-Kyung observed his roommate's spasming with a hint of a smile. "He's fine, Mi-Nyeo. He's just glad to have your clumsy, nosy self back around to cause one disaster after another."

Mi-Nyeo tried to understand if this was an insult or a compliment...and gave up. "My face is clean. I'm going back to bed for a little longer."

* * *

><p>She had made it!<p>

Mi-Nyeo was in heaven.

All the stress evaporated from her tired limbs the moment she sank into the mattress. Cool crisp linen glided against her skin as she wormed her way up to the pillows. Mi-Nyeo buried her face in one fluffy cushion and inhaled the scent of laundry powder and Tae-Kyung's aftershave. A little 'mew' escaped her as she rolled to her side and closed her eyes.

_Creak_.

Mi-Nyeo groaned. It had been too good to be true. Her right eye cracked open a millimetre and watched someone approaching the bed. The equilibrium of the mattress shifted, and a familiar warm body curled itself against her back, knowing exactly how to make her body fit against him.

"Mi-Nyeo." He buried his face in her neck. "Did you have a shower before climbing into my bed?"

"Ssssh!" Mi-Nyeo put a finger over her lips. "Sleeping."

"Is that so?"

Fingers dug into her sides. "Gggggggh." She laughed into the pillow. "Ah!" She jumped at a jab in her hip. "Stop!"

"Why?" he asked. More of Mi-Nyeo's giggles accompanied his tickling.

"I'll use Yoo He Yi Unni's flirting advice against you!" she warned.

"Oh yeah? You think that stuff will work with a guy who has thousands of fans?"

"It worked yesterday," she answered, folding her arms around her waist to protect herself.

"Tch. That was just coincidence. I hadn't seen you in months and you were sitting there on the hospital bed, looking so happy with yourself over looking like a _girl_!"

His tone was scornful, and Mi-Nyeo pouted. Resolved, she climbed out of the bed.

"Where are you going?" He watched her drag his king-size blanket with her to the floor. "And with my sleeping gear?"

"I'm going somewhere quiet to sleep."

"Fine."

She opened the door.

He sat up. "Where?"

Mi-Nyeo smiled, shut the door behind her and continued on her way.

Hoping Shin-Woo wouldn't mind if she slept on his floor, she padded over to his door and turned the handle.

"Don't even think about it!" echoed Tae-Kyung's muffled voice.

Mi-Nyeo gaped at her boyfriend's shut door, and wondered how he knew. Unnerved, she settled on another door close by.

"Jeremy's room is still a toxic waste dump!" said the walls.

Mi-Nyeo pouted. Tae-Kyung was right. Jeremy's room was a minefield. His unfinished snacks littered the floor and gave the place a weird smell.

She shuffled over to Mi Nam's door.

"Don't you think you've caused enough trouble in there for one day?" muffled Tae-Kyung warned, finally flinging open his door to give her a patronising smirk.

Frustrated, Mi-Nyeo chucked the blanket on the floor in the hall and decided to sleep where it landed.

"What do you think you are doing?"

Mi-Nyeo folded the linen in half and crawled into it.

"Yah!" He kicked at her feet, making her draw her knees to her chest to get away from him. "Are you trying to make me feel guilty? Stop acting like you're homeless! Come out from under there!"

"No!" she replied, her voice dulled by the blanket.

"Don't make me hurt you," he warned.

Her eyes widened, and she peeped up at him from under the covers. "Hyung-nim! You wouldn't hurt someone you nearly hit with your car, would you?"

"What?" He poked at the lumpy linen with his big toe. "Are you _blackmailing_ me? First flirting, then blackmailing. Mi-Nyeo, you are following a dark path."

Mi-Nyeo grumbled: "And I nearly took a hit from a juice pitcher for you."

"What was that?"

Mi-Nyeo shook her head.

"Tell me, and I'll be lenient!"

"No!" Mi-Nyeo curled up into a ball, ready for battle.

"All right then. You asked for it, Pig-Rabbit?"

"Aaaargh no!" Mi-Nyeo found herself being wrapped up tight in the blanket and then dragged back into his room like a sack of rice. She slipped her fingers out to grab at the doorframe, only to have him slide her around the floor n a semi-circle, and kick the door shut.

Halfway towards his desk, Mi-Nyeo made a desperate grab for his leg.

"Yah!" He tried to hop away. "Let go of my foot!"

She lifted the toes a little higher and began to tickle them with the pads of her fingers.

"Arrrgh! Stop! Mi-N-" He collapsed onto the floor with a _smack_. Mi-Nyeo gasped, and on seeing his eyes closed, she squirmed towards him, afraid she'd knocked him unconscious.

"Hyung-nim?" She shook him by the shoulders, trying to remember basic lifesaving training.

His eyebrows twisted into a 'V' shape. "Ow!" He glared at her as she ran her fingers over his skull, feeling for damage.

"You're awake!" Mi-Nyeo exhaled in relief. She jumped down to hug him, bumping her head against his jaw bone.

"Ow!" He cradled his chin as she wriggled against him. "Stop!" He reached down with both hands, and smushed her against him in a constricting hug. "Don't move!"

Her nose was crunched against his collarbone, but she obeyed.

A quiet patch passed between them before Tae-Kyung decided to speak.

"Are you trying to kill me?" he asked, his arms still clamped down over her.

Mi-Nyeo tilted her head to the side in order to be able to breathe. "Is your head okay, Hyung-nim?"

"Sure. What's a few dead brain cells to a musical genius like myself?" he sniped.

Mi-Nyeo puffed her cheeks.

"I think I'll live," he relented, sliding a hand up her back.

As he fingered her hair, Mi-Nyeo shifted her cheek down to his chest to make herself more comfortable. To her relief, he said nothing, and she sighed in contentment at her more comfortable resting place.

"Mi-Nyeo," his chest rumbled. "Are you going to sleep on top of me?"

Her eyes still shut, she grinned. "Eh? No! I was just enjoying being with you."

"Tch." He released his hold on her. "What about sleep?"

"Then Hyung-nim's chest is the best," she mumbled against his shirt, giving him a lazy 'thumbs up' with her right hand.

"Mi-Nyeo, the floor is cold, and you should know by now that my back requires extra support from a spring mattress."

Mi-Nyeo groaned. "Okay." She reached out, tugged at his wrists and pulled him towards the blanket behind her. She got him up on his knees, but no further.

"What? That is still the floor! I'm not sleeping there."

"Yes! Sleep!" she protested, leaning back on her knees.

"I thought you were just enjoying being with me?" he mocked as she tried to wrestle with him.

"We can do both if you can just come over here."

"No."

"Hyung-nim!" she huffed, knowing she wasn't going to win this unless she tried something else. She stopped struggling, and paused.

Using her grip on his wrists as leverage, Mi-Nyeo pushed upwards and kissed his bottom lip, running over it once with her tongue before retreating.

Tae-Kyung froze.

Mi-Nyeo pursed her lips.

"What was that?" he asked, his face unreadable.

"A-a kiss?" she said, hopeful.

"That was _bribery_, Mi-Nyeo!" He looked upset. "And it was terrible!"

"Oh."

"Do it again." He closed his eyes.

Mi-Nyeo hesitated, feeling embarrassed.

"Do it again!" His eyes peeled open just long enough to show her the hidden glare. "And do it _properly_."

She gulped, gathered her courage and then pushed up to kiss him again.

Tracing his wet bottom lip with her own seemed like a good place to start, she then reached up to kiss the top one.

His mouth was soft and pliant this time. His jaw lowered, and his lips parted, allowing her tongue entrance.

She inhaled, and took the plunge, her hand dropping to his shoulder in that same instant.

She had tasted him before, but he had never allowed her full control like this. She relaxed into a slow rocking pace, enjoying the sweetness as she massaged.

His wrists slipped from her grasp and he latched onto her waist, pulling her closer.

She wrapped her own hands around his neck, and then leaned backwards. It didn't take much to coax him, and he pushed her down into the displaced blanket as if they'd never argued over it. His movements were careful, so that the kiss continued unbroken.

As for sleep, Mi-Nyeo got it later, when the day grew older.

Fin.

* * *

><p>Story notes: Why a mountain otter? I'm referring to the Japanese Marten산달. It has eyes like a raccoon.

Please review. I'd love to hear from you.


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